Houston shootings: family of eight shot dead at home by 'mother's ex-partner'

Attack: a police officer walks away from the scene of the shootings AP

A family of eight were shot dead at their home by a man who was previously in a turbulent relationship with the mother, police have said.

Dewayne Jackson, 50 and his wife Valerie Jackson, 40 were gunned down along with their six children - Nathaniel, 13, Dewayne, 10, Honesty, 11, Caleb, nine, Trinity, seven and Jonah, six - at the house in Houston, Texas.

David Conley, who police revealed has a violent criminal history and was Mrs Jackson's ex-partner, has been charged with murder over their deaths. Nathaniel was reported to have been 48-year-old Mr Conley's son with Mrs Jackson.

Arrested: David Conley AP

Police revealed that most of the victims had been handcuffed and some had been shot multiple times in the shocking attack on Saturday.

Following the murders, Conley was involved in a tense stand-off with police for several hours before he surrended and was arrested.

Chief Deputy Tim Cannon said: "We do not - cannot - fully comprehend the motivation of an individual that would take the lives of so many innocent people. Especially the lives of the young ones.

"The killer's motives appear to be related to a dispute with Valerie, who was his former domestic partner."

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He was today being held in police custody and did not appear at a court hearing yesterday where an arrest affidavit was read.

Police were first called to the Jacksons' home after one of Valerie's relatives contacted the sheriff's office after concerns for her welfare, police said.

Detectives would not reveal at what time the family were shot dead or if any of them were alive when deputies first tried to enter the home.

Tribute: flowers and balloons at the Jacksons' home in Houston AP

Conley told authorities that he discovered on Saturday morning the locks had been changed at the home after he had moved out. He entered the home through an unlocked window, according to the affidavit.

Court records show Conley's criminal history dates back to at least 1988, with the most recent incident last month, when he was charged with assault.